Marcolo and Blfenton, the box thing in the southeast corner is just that, a box constructed out of drywall to take up the corner. I hate blind corner cabinets, so I would rather "waste" the corner entirely rather than spending money on corner cabinetry I hate, especially since it lets me put more efficient drawer storage on each side of the corner. It also allows me to have tall cabinetry on the east wall and uppers and lowers on the south wall, without having an issue where they meet in the corner. I might put a door in the guest room wall to utilize the 27" x 27" space from the other side to store items we do not need to get to often, like luggage. I agree that having the wall ovens 4' away from the nearest landing spot on the island is not ideal, but it is a big improvement over the 7' walk between wall ovens and counters in our current kitchen. If we move the wall ovens to the east wall, there is still at least a 4' walk to the island. Amanda, the trash pullout and dishwasher are on opposite sides of the sink cabinet. I will also have storage for dishes, Rubbermaid containers, plastic wrap, etc. on the south wall. That way, after meals, the plates and pots all go to the counter next to the sink, leftovers can be packaged, dishes can be scraped into the trash and then go into the dishwasher. When I empty the dishwasher, the dish storage is on uppers on that wall. It sounds like cooktops on islands are not popular. I agree it is not ideal, but it was the only way to get the entire wall of tall cabinets on the east side. My DH loves the look of that wall, and that wall will be highly visible from our kitchen and dining room. I would prefer a real hood to a downdraft vent, but, then again, I have lived without a proper hood for 10 years. Mahlgold, I am having trouble balancing the look we want with function. We plan to do prep on the island and the counter to the left of the sink. Those 2 areas give us more counter space than we have had in any prior kitchen. We do not own a coffee maker or toaster oven. Our only countertop appliances are a KA mixer, small toaster and blender. The mixer and blender will go under the uppers to the left of the sink (mixer in far left corner on an angle). The toaster could also go on that counter, or maybe behind the lift door on the left side of the east wall along with bread storage. We only do breakfast and lunch at home 1 or 2 days per week. I am not sure how many or how deep of drawers to put in the tall cabinets. I drew each side with 5, but it could be 3 or 4. This kitchen has so many more lower cabinets than we have ever had before, that I am not sure what to put in all of them. On the right side tall cabinet, I thought I would want a couple of shallow drawers at the top to store extra trays for the Advantium, pot holders (those will be kept in 3 different locations near all the hot appliances) and wine tools like the opener, Vacu-vin, etc. Maybe a drawer for DH's vast tea bag and leaf collection and related tools. We could put all the empty baby bottles and plastic plates for the kids in a drawer in that tower or on the south wall. On the left side tall cabinet, I could use the drawers to store pyrex, roasting pans, pie tins and other baking dishes that might not fit in the drawers below the wall oven. My stove top pots and pans and utensils will go in drawers below or next to the cooktop on the island, as I have several feet of drawers on the south side of the island. The wall ovens were put on the north wall (where they are in the current kitchen) because they are less attractive to look at. Also, if we get the side opening Gagg ovens, they would be difficult to place in the east wall because they need at least 8" between the hinge side of the oven and an adjacent wall, so we could not put them at the very end of a cabinet run. It is also tricky because we are trying to find space for 3 wall ovens: standard 30" convection oven, speedoven/microwave, and steam oven. They are too tall to stack all together in one column and still have at useful heights. I will use the speedoven/microwave more than once a day, so I would be miserable having that oven below countertop height. I also hope to use the combi-steam oven regularly. I feel like we should have 1 full size oven, but that one will get the least use (I very rarely bake or cook large meals), so I could buy the Thermador wall oven with the standard door and put it under the counter somewhere and stack the other 2 together on a wall. The problem with swapping all the cooling appliances to the north wall and the pantry to the east wall as was suggested is that the pantry is only 16-18" deep and the appliances are 24" deep, which would prevent us from having a 24" deep coat closet on the hall side of that space. (We really need a coat closet because the house does not have one now.) I will think about whether we can steal coat space from another room, like the guest room. I am debating the idea of a prep sink on the island. DH looked at me like I was crazy when I suggested a second sink 5' away from the main sink. We do not use the sink a lot for prep. We rinse the veggies, but then put them on a cutting board and move it to where we want to work. We use a large bowl to collect veggie or meat waste when we peel, chop and trim. Sadly, we do not have any family in this state, so no one brings us food to prepare. It is just DH and I in the kitchen now, although we hope our two daughters will like to cook as they get older.

I agree with everyone above. If you want a more open kitchen, and can accept a laundry closet, then possibly this plan will work: You could keep laundry supplies in the cabinets above the litter box, and could work storage for a laundry basket into the area below or beside the oven--many European kitchens have the laundry incorporated. There is extra storage on the peninsula, with a raised ledge to hide dishes, or one level, which would make a nice serving area. Prep is now facing the LR. If a MW is not part of the wall oven stack, it can be put on an upper shelf beside the oven, convenient to the fridge.

finally figured out my general kitchen layout in terms of appliance, I'd look at the sink and dishwasher again. It's as far as can be from the dining room, and that's going to mean extra steps. I also don't like the refrigerator's location ... it looks like it's kinda "across the hall" from the kitchen, though it is an integral part. I'd think about the freezer drawers too. You can have a small freezer in your mudroom so much more cheaply (I've been using a $40 Craigslist freezer for more than a decade), and that would get you more storage in the kitchen. I know there may be an issue with where I have glasses stored. I see your rationalization, but I can't quite buy into it. You use more glasses and cutlery more than dishes ... and dishes can stack, so you can carry a bunch at once. I definitely think you should work for more than "not too burdensome". The classic dishwasher-refrigerator-glassware concept exists for a reason: it just works. Maybe a second dishwasher drawer (rather than a full-sized dishwasher) in the bar area would be a good compromise. because I am really only looking for feedback with respect to where things are stored. Things that give me pause: - By "linens", you mean dish towels, right? Not placemats and tablecloths. If you mean dish towels, I like this placement. It's conveniently located, but out of the main work area. - I don't understand the idea of duplicate dishwashers. Even if you entertain often, I just can't see giving up the space in (what I think is) a moderate-sized kitchen. Maybe it'd be more realistic to move one of the dishwashers to the bar area ... that would take care of your glassware washing issue. - You're giving up prime storage space for big bowls. I think I'd store them in the pantry. - On that subject, the pantry is very nice ... a good size, just off the garage entrance, convenient to the kitchen. - Are those little double doors into the pantry? If so, put them on swing hinges (so you can walk in with a push of your shoulder rather than your hands). - Where are you storing your small appliances? - Where's your trash can? your recycling? the pathway to your outdoor garbage can? - Where's your fire extinguisher? - Do you need cookbook storage? - You don't seem to have much space set aside for dish storage ... is this enough? What I'm saying is, you're planning for two dishwashers, yet you only have one cabinet for dishes. This seems to be a mis-match. - Note that your dishes are as far as possible from the dining room ... and you'll have to walk them back across to the clean-up area. Not ideal. - One more thought about dish storage ... you're talking about a to-the-countertop cabinet, and it's going to be pretty near the sink. A danger: if water from the sink splashes over to that cabinet, the bottom of the cabinet can be damaged. You can avoid this by raising your drawers just a few inches /installing countertop "up that small side" so that splashed water could not reach your expensive cabinets. Alternately, you could "lift" the cabinet by placing a second piece of countertop material UNDER the cabinet just to give it an inch or two height ... again, the idea being, lift the wood up just a bit /keep it away from potential standing water. I've already considered putting the second dishwasher near the prep sink for prep stuff and glasses and I don't think that will work for my family Yeah, I'm not into that either. My hope is that the cabinet maker can use that space for a knife drawer What if you use magnetic strips under your cabinets? No drawer needed. Incidentally, I used to have probably 30 knives ... and I always reached for the same 2-3. I got rid of most of the extras, and I haven't missed them. Alternately, what about a knife slit in the countertop near the prep sink? I would also like to try to incorporate the built-in paper towels thing That looks like a lot of prime storage space dedicated to paper towels. I'd rather keep the extras in that large pantry /store something you need to access more often in the back side of that drawer. General rule of thumb: Keep the things you use every day in your most convenient storage ... I go weeks without changing the paper towel roll. where spices can be organized I love-love-love my spice organization. I have metal triangular jars that click together and store on a turn table (they're similar to this one, but they quit making mine) ... and I also have round metal spice tubs attached to the inside of the cabinet door. Extracts, sprinkles, etc. store on the upper shelf in small bins, which I can "reach down". oil cloth liners I don't know what oil cloth liners are, but we lived in our last house 21 years, and the thick, slightly-spongy shelf liner from Walmart was still in great shape when we moved. It wasn't 'specially cheap, but it lasted. My only comment for consideration is where the tupperware is stored. Depending on your height/reach, I find corner cabinets a complete nuisance. Agree that corner cabinets are not prime storage ... I keep party serving dishes in mine (because they aren't accessed often ... when it's "just us", we serve plates from the stove top). I am looking at replacing the cabinets with open shelves for oils/vinegars and serving bowls/casseroles. I like the idea of open shelves in the corner only ... but, yes, for things that're used only occasionally ... not Tupperware. Unless, of course, you rarely use it. And you've gotta commit to cleaning these things a couple times a year, even if they're not used. Having said that, that corner /sandwiched between the two windows seems a little problematic. What I'm thinking is that the cabinet could end up looking "small". I'd want to see a mock-up from the cabinet maker of how this'll look.

Since you're going to let the architect help you figure it all out, may I suggest you also keep in mind this list below. Doesn't mean you'll get every single thing on the list but if something has to give, know why and how it will impact everything else. :) Best of luck. The best houses orient the public rooms towards the south for the best passive solar heating and cooling The best houses are L, U, T, H, or I shaped. The best houses are only one to two rooms deep. And covered lanai, porches, garages, etc count as rooms in this case. The best houses make sure kitchens have natural light, meaning windows so one doesn't have to have lighting 24/7 to use the kitchen. (And no, dining areas with windows 10' or more from the kitchen will not allow for natural light.) The best houses make sure all public rooms and bedrooms have windows on at least two walls. The best houses do not if possible put mechanical rooms, pantries or closets on outside walls The best houses do not have diagonal interior walls making for odd spaces. The best houses keep public and private spaces separate. The best houses do not have you walk through the work zone of the kitchen to bring laundry to the laundry room. The best houses do not have the mudroom go through any of the work zones of the kitchen. The best houses do not use the kitchen as a hallway to any other rooms. The best houses do not put toilets or toilet rooms up against bedroom walls or dining areas. The best houses do not have walk in closets too small to stand inside. The best houses do not have roofs that are overly large, and dominate the exterior of the house. The best houses do not have stick on exterior materials only on the front façade. The best houses have an organizing “spine” so it’s easy to determine how to get from room to room in the house and what makes sense. Meaning they don’t have meandering circulation paths. And added from Architectrunnerguy: -The best houses enrich their owners souls. -The best houses are timeless. -The best houses incorporate the intangibles of good design. -The best houses have strong organizational concepts. -The best houses have owners who understand what good design is….and isn’t. -The best houses are shaped in response to the Sun. -The best houses have all its parts in good proportion to each other and to the whole. -The best houses enhance the street. -The best houses balance function, aesthetics and construction. -The best houses recognize there are always design tradeoffs. -The best houses break some “rules”. -The best houses are a joy to live in.